Wednesday, July 27, 2005

This entry also reports the sadness. Maruta-san has one Rachmaninov CD of Mr.Sultanov. In the article, it is said that this CD is the favorite and it is often listened. Mr.Sultanov was still young at that time, so Maruta-san expected his brilliant future, but Maruta-san soon heard about his illness. In the meantime Mr. Sultanov was so hard on rehabilitation. Maruta-san used to say to him "Hang in there!", but finally heard this sad news...

His 2nd movement of Rachmaninov's Piano Sonata is the favorite. It is a little jazzy and cool. But now Maruta-san is too sad to listen to this CD...

This entry is also posted on 3rd July, very early timing in Japan. This person is an amature cellist. Some of Mr.Sultanov's photos are including in the article, so I strongly recommend you access to the following site, even though you do not understand Japanese.

In this entry, he mentioned that Alexei Sultanov is not a type of his preference, however he could not help being lost in admiration with his great and brilliant technique.

He thinks it is too young to passed away in age 35. It is such an irony that Mr. Sultanov was so energetic person to play martial arts but finally got paralized unfortunately. He was so shocked to hear the news and devastated.

This person has an experience of hearting his hands and had a time when he could not play the instruments, so he can understand the feeling of Mr.Sultanov, a little.

He once saw him on TV right after the 95's Chopin competition, and still remember the Mr.Sultanov's expression after he heard the result. Because his performance was overwhelming and all the audience were for him. A lot of Japanese fans gather to see him, when he came to Japan. This author also had a chance to go to his concert. The program was two concerto of Chopin and Tchaikovsky. He was with full of energy. He is kind a small person, but his touch is so strong and it was great! It is not a rare issue to play two concertos in a day, but he really enjoyed Alexei's Brillian concertos! The encore was the 3rd movement of Prokofiev's Sonata No.7. It was also great!

Some of his video picture were also impressive. His original passage that use 3rd melody in Chopin's Fantasie-Impromptu is exactly the Sultanov style. He snapped the string while playing the Scriabin's Sonata No.5, but he was just natural. He was so impressive.

Translating the title into English is a little difficult, so I put the original Japanese title. I think it can be say "The star's Alexei" or "Alexei of/at the star". But I think there is some possibility that this author used the Japanese translated title of the famous book "The little prince/Le petit prince"Anyway, Today I will introduce you this entry.

This article was posted on 2nd July, so this person caught this news in the early timing and kindly wrote it on the blog. The author of this blog is not my acquaiace, it is described thatthis person is a Japanese pianist studying in Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium.

In this entry, this person mentioned about Alexei's golden career, about the competition, and illness, nationality. This person had rare chances to listen to Mr. Sultanov's performance, but have remembered that it appears very difficult to play like his Fantasie-Impromptu with adding some notes to make the melody in third.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Yesterday, I posted this article which reports the comment of Ms. Kiai Nara.

Today, I happend to find the similar entry and found out that the same person is writing. So I must introduce this article again and try to send a trackback to the site. Thank you very much, Ms. Kiai Nara-san.For your information, she is a very famous pianist in Japan who take an active part in musical world in Europe.

She mentioned almost the same thing as she wrote in the previous entry. She said that she saw Mr.Sultanov's performance in Moscow. As she mentioned in the previous entry, she thinks that the preference about his performance is just a small issue and he is really beyond these Preference.

She mentioned that it was a great shock for her to know this sad news. Alexei was too young to go. He was just 35 years old. She can not believe this fact and can not find if she is sad or got shocked, just paniced. It is deep sadness that she can not listen to his live music again.She said that she really wanted to listen to Mr. Sultanov's music when he is in his 40's because she believes that 40's is a very good season for a pianist, but listening to Alexei's music when he is 40's just ended up in smoke for her....

She summarized the article about his Memorial Service. The place, the people who attend the ceremony, what was on the screen, and Van Cliburn's messages are mentioned in the article.

In Japan, there are two CDs, "Fantasie-Impromptu" and "Sultanov plays Chopin" which were available from Japan Arts. Both CDs are now difficult to get but those are definitely great. You still have a possibility to get it if you contact to Japan Arts directly.She also mentioned that we supporters should buy some of his recordings to be some economical support for Alexei's families.

Finally, the flowers we (including Motoko-san and myself) Japanese fans sent to Dace, were welcomed by Dace and she was so happy with it. Actually the flower was her choice. You can see the photo of the flower.

At first, she just says TOO YOUNG. Ms. Nara had two chances to listen to Mr.Sultanov's performance. She also knew that his illness, but it was a big surprise and sorrow to hear this sad news...

It is often said that his performance is a matter of preference and tastes, but Ms. Nara thinks that these preference is just a small issue and he is really beyond these Preference. She thinks that he is a great pianist gifted with remarkable talents.

At first, she wants to do something for Alexei, and add few links of his CD on her weblog.She wants to attend the memorial campaign which we Japanese are doing, introducing each person's memorial goods related Alexei, however she does not have them near her now because she put them at her parent's house. But two things, the autograph she got on the CD "Sultanov Plays Chopin", and the photos which she took at the autograph session at Tower Record on 5th March, 1999.

At that time, she was just 9th grands student. It is a big issue to a junior-high student to go to a concert, she asked her parents to take her, and fortunately she could be at one of his solo recital held at Tokyo Metropolitan art space on 4th March, 1999. On that day, she met him, give him folowers, shake hands, have a little conversation, and could listen to his great performance. That was really the happiest moment for her.

Friday, July 22, 2005

Shiho-san(a.k.a Shipporin-san) as I introduced before, also wrote an article about her writing cards to Dace.

Here is the article with some photos. (So even though you can not read Japanese, I recommend you access to this page to see the beautiful photos)http://shiporin.exblog.jp/3101122

Even though Shiho-san says she is not good at English, she kindly wrote a card to Dace. The card is very beautiful with Japanese-Style pressed-flower. She used the Internet and her dictionary a lot, and finally did her English composition as good as she can. She hopes that her caring to Dace and Alexei can be understandable to Dace.

He described in his blog that he is just a beginner of the piano. But even though Miya-san is a beginner of the piano, he could easily understand how Mr.Sultanov is great with his great techniques. He mentioned that there are so many pianist who is said to be great, but Alexei Sultanov is the special pianist among them.

Unfortunately, he had rare chances to see Mr.Sultanov's performance on TV, but he hopes medias should broadcast these great performance.

She reported this sad news with Mr.Sultanov's picture, and introduce his career, for example about his win at Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He also let them know about his stroke he had in 2001.

She mentioned that it must be so tough for a pianist to have a paralyzed hand, and have difficulty to play the piano. But she praised Mr.Sultanov that he was so patient to have tough rehabilitation with his dedicated wife. She was happy to hear that Mr.Sultanov had recovered as he could play three hands piano piece with his wife. So this sudden news makes her depressed. Unbeliavable...

She also introduced his last recording "Alexei Sultanov Live in Riga", which is created by Japanese fans, and is available domestic in Japan. In this CD, there are Liszt's Piano sonata and some of Horowitz's transcriptions. She mentioned that Mr.Sultanov played with great energy, vitality and surprising outstanding techniques. This CD is her treasure.

Now he is far from this world, but his music is just beside us, forever and ever.May his soul rest in piece, and she will continuously listen and watch his performance.

This web site is created by Marta Polanska in Poland. As I mentioned earlier, she is one of the most faithful supporter of him in the world. In this site, there are so many information about him, his career, competition history, links, CDs, and lots more.Please have a try to access this site, remember the greatness of Alexei, and try to write your own memories about Alexei, which you found while attending his concerts, listening to his recordings, or anything else. You can write it on his guestbook, or just write it in E-mail to Dace.Thank you for your cooperation.

She loved Alexei Sultanov so much, and can not believe it, does not know how to express her feeling.She first met Alexei when she was a junior high and this meeting changed her approach toward the piano totally different. She got to know a lot of people because of Alexei's music. ( I guess one of the people might be me)

It is great sorry that he had passed away, since she was delighted to hear the news of his acquiring American nationality and playing 3 hands pieces with his wife, Dace.

Finally, she is encouraging all the Japanese fans to send memorable cards.

Additionaly, she responsed in comment section that it is our mission to talk Alexei's memories, and also to support Dace. His performance was so nice and she was encouraged with his music for many times.

At first, she reported this sad news, and mentioned that it hurted so much. Before this sad news, she was in the middle of writing about Alexei on her blog, and wanted to write more and more. As a representative of Japanese fan, she thought she should support him struggling against the disease. She was so shocked and can not still believe and accept this sad news.... He music is alive in her heart forever....

She mentioned that she must say special thanks to Mr. Sultanov that he gave us a chance to listen those invaluable performance. The rehabilitation must be very tough but she hopes that he can now freely relax.

She kindly mentioned about writing cards to the Sultanovs. She introduced my homepage how to write a card, and also encourage all the fan that she already finished writing and sent it.

She also mentioned about the original CD "Live in Riga" which is available only in Japan.She finished her article that she was listening to Alexei's CD all day with tears.

She has a memorial magazine that his picture is on the front page. She got it at the internet auction. This is a magazine of "Ongaku no tomo( a friend of music) " of May, 1996. In the magazine, there is a small article which reports his concert on 28th March, 1996 at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space. The author of the magazine praises his performance of Scriabin, Rachmaninov, and Beethoven. This author describes in the magazine that "This performance is reaching the end of human being's tether to express music on the piano. Great techniques." This editor also mentioned about his colorful sounds and expression.

Unfortunatelly, Motoko-san did not attend the concert at that night, she knows his performance through his live recordings. So she knows this author's explanation about his Scriabin and Rachmaninov is appropriate.

Motoko-san is talented in English and I guess she will write her memories of Alexei in her own words.

Actually, I was with her at this concert. Both of us bring a music note of Chopin's piano sonata, and she also got the same autograph. Here is the picture of it.

She mentioned that the Sonata he played on that day was extraordinary, for both of technically and artificially and she was so impressed. She also remembered the another day he played Prokofiev's Piano concerto. On this day, the string was snapped and Alexei could not play encore because the piano was broken, but it was so energetic and touched.

This autograph is the only memorial goods for us except concert bills, so she thinks to preserve it permanently.

I got the left one on 4th, March 1999 at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Place when he played Chopin's piano sonata No.3. I play the piano a little, however Chopin's piano sonata is too difficult for me. Anyway this autograph is my treasure forever.And the right one with "Thanks a lot" is the one I got on 18th March 1999 also at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Place. He played both of Rachmaninov and Prokofiev's No.2 concertos at the same night. He was very kind to add "Thanks a lot" because he knew that I followed him on around Japan on this tour. Those are not only my treasure but also a historical property in the musical world.

He was always very king to have a autograph session after his concert. Hundreds and hundreds of his fan got lined, but he was very kind with smile.

I have my own personal weblog page which is for Japanese readers. It is basically written in Japanese. It is my personal page and mention about my daily life, but I added a small article related about Alexei, which entry is a sort of placeholder to trackback articles written in English outside of Japan. This time I just want to introduce the article and use it as a test for trackback.

After I wrote this entry, some people said that I was such a luck person to have a chance to go to his concert for 11 times. But I still regret that I could go to much more concerts if I did my best. Anyway I am very proud of attending this 11 concerts, and those were living in my heart forever. Unforgettable moment.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

This weblog is created and written by a faithful Japanese supporter of Alexei Sultanov. To begin with, Dace Sultanov, Alexei's devoted partner wants to collect a lot of stories related his memory. In Japan, it is sometimes tough for us to write those memories in English, however we have a good culture to describe each person's opinion using weblog. There are a lot of weblog articles which describes some of his memories, so I just try to introduce those articles, as well as my memories about Alexei Sutlanov.

Alexei Sultanov was loved by supporters all over the world who know the pleasure of music well. He is especially famous in Japan and also in Poland. For a long time, I had just a small community of his fan limited in Japan, but fortunately I met a faithful Polish supporter of Mr. Sultanov, Marta Polanska last year. She is a great supporter of him and I got a lot of good influence, so I would like to say my great thanks before I start this blog.

There are also many Japanese supporters. I will try to introduce them, while I am introducing Japanese article.